Transportation Policy and Funding in the Post-Election Climate
The mid-term elections have put an end to any lingering hope of passing a long-term transportation bill during the congressional lame duck session. Such hope was recently expressed by Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, and two Democratic senators, Tom Carper (D-DE) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. In an October 9 letter to Congressman David Camp, Chairman of the House […]
California’s Bullet Train Hobbled by Fresh Legal, Fiscal and Political Uncertainties
Barely recovered from the damaging effects of the Sacramento Court ruling denying the California High Speed Rail Authority access to Prop 1A bond funding, the bullet train project has had to face fresh challenges. First came the news that Congress has zeroed out any funds for high speed rail in the FY 2014 omnibus appropriation bill, […]
More Setbacks for California’s Embattled High Speed Rail Project
Reps. Denham and Latham request a GAO review The Sacramento Court’s November 25 decision denying the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) access to Proposition 1A bond funds was the first in a series of setbacks suffered by the high-speed rail project in recent days. The project was dealt another serious blow on November 26, when two influential members […]
A Major Setback for California’s High Speed Train
The future of the California High Speed Rail project hangs in a precarious balance as a result of two rulings handed down by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael Kenny on November 25. “The Judge’s ruling will prevent the [California High-Speed Rail] Authority from spending bond measure funds for construction until the funding plan is brought […]
From High-Speed Rail to Higher-Performing Rail
I am pleased to note that the U.S. Department of Transportation seems to have dropped its use of the phrase “high-speed rail” in describing the administration’s rail program in favor of “higher-performing rail.” The new usage first appeared (to our knowledge) in the Federal Railroad Administration’s announcement of the Final State Rail Plan Guidance— “to assist States in their […]
The Uncertain Future of the California Bullet Train
On July 18, at a site pregnant with symbolism— the future location of what HSR advocates hope will become San Francisco’s terminus of the state’s bullet train — California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill to fund construction of the first section of the high-speed line. Earlier in the day, Brown had traveled for a […]
More Unwelcome News for California’s High Speed Rail Project
Decidedly, early June has not been the best of times for the California high-speed rail project. On June 2, came a new poll showing that fifty-nine percent of voters would now oppose building high-speed rail if the measure were placed on the ballot again. Sixty-nine percent said that they would “never or hardly ever” ride […]
California Should Think Twice About Obama HSR Funds
It says something that even struggling California may be willing to lose a $3.3 billion federal bullet-train grant. Maybe it senses some risk. Now how can that be? The Golden State is not known for its fiscal sobriety, but at least some of its top lawmakers are thinking twice about accepting the Obama administration’s invitation […]
California’s Bullet Train – A Fresh Start and a Change in Direction
A new strategy is beginning to emerge toward California’s embattled high-speed rail venture. The strategy is designed to rescue the project from a possible defeat at the hands of the state legislature, gain friends and supporters among local transportation agencies, win converts among independent analysts and turn around a largely skeptical public. The plan combines […]
Why Pleas to Increase Infrastructure Funding Fall on Deaf Ears
Crossposted on New Geography Letting the nation’s roads and bridges deteriorate may worsen traffic congestion and add to our commuting woes, but when water and sewer systems begin to fail our very civilization is at risk. That is the message of a recent story in The Washington Post drawing attention to the alarming state of […]